Empty Chairs at Empty Tables
by pinkyridz
Summary: Just found a story I haven't posted here yet.  Hope you enjoy.  A team has to return to PX3-888 to save Daniel's life.  A tag to The First One's. SLASH
1. Chapter 1

There's a grief that can't be spoken. There's a pain that goes on and on. Empty chairs at empty tables now my friends are dead and gone.

(Les Miserables)

xxx

"So. How's Daniel? No, actually – where's Daniel?"

Jack looked up and down the beds in the infirmary, expecting to find his partner tucked in with IV's running full pelt. Janet appeared at his shoulder and gave him a tight smile.

"I've assigned a VIP room to him," she told him, signing a chart and handing it back to the waiting nurse.

"Oh?"

"Let's go to my office sir, I'll fill you in."

Jack nodded and followed Janet into the small 'cupboard' at the back of the infirmary – the room allocated to the senior physician. He closed the door behind them and took a seat. Janet looked at him and smiled, she could see the worry etched on the older man's face. It had been a tough few days for everyone especially Colonel Jack O'Neill. Daniel had been away with SG-11 on an archaeological dig on P3X-888. Jack had argued against it as he hated his team being split up but Daniel had been so excited. Robert Rothman had reported signs of an unidentified 'species' found in skeleton form during SG11's naquada excursion and Daniel had jumped at the chance to go get his hands dirty, and there was no way he would let anyone get in his way – this was his area of expertise, he was in 'Daniel Disney Land.'

When Rothman had burst through the gate, informing them Daniel had been abducted and Loeder had been killed Jack knew he should have listened to his instincts. The next twenty fours hours had been spent tracking Daniel and his abductor and a long the way Jack had had to deal with the compromise of some of the search party. The necessity to actually 'kill' both Rothman and Hawkins after a dip in a lake which contained live Gouald symbiotes, had not been top of the 'to do' list on this particular mission. The relief at finding Daniel in one piece had been tampered with the dread of having to pass on the information of the demise of not just Rothman and Hawkins, but the rest of SG-11 as well. He knew Daniel would blame himself and the look on Janet Frasier's face at this moment of time confirmed the fact.

"Daniel was exhausted and slightly dehydrated," Janet started pouring both her and the colonel a cup of coffee. "I re-hydrated him while you were at the debriefing and gave him some strong muscle relaxants to help with the pain."

Jack nodded. Daniel had made his way back to the gate with them as if on autopilot, head bowed and feet shuffling. After being dragged a good few miles by the wild Unas, Jack figured the ordeal must have left Daniel with some injuries.

Janet continued, "I wanted to keep him in the infirmary but he insisted he was fine and he needed some space. His emotions were all over the place sir. I think the realisation of what has happened has just sunk in. He was getting upset and rather agitated so I offered him a compromise – a VIP suite and a mild sedative. Hopefully after a good sleep he will feel better. I checked on him ten minutes ago and he was fast a sleep," she told Jack with a sad smile. "He needs lots of rest, some good food, and probably an appointment with Doctor McKenzie."

Jack nodded again, staring into his coffee. Janet lent forward and placed her hand on his arm.

"What about you, sir? I think you could do with an appointment as well."

Jack's head snapped up at the suggestion.

"No," he stated adamantly.

"I'm fine. We got Daniel back. I'm fine."

Janet looked at him with narrowed eyes. She was not fooled that easily.

"What you went through was very traumatic, talking things through might hel-"

"I'll talk to Daniel," Jack interrupted standing up. "What room is he in?"

"Sir?"

"I'm fine Doc. Daniel needs me."

Janet shook her head. Sometimes Jack could be so infuriating – no – scrub that – most of the time he was infuriating, but seeing the look of determination on his face, she knew not to push it this time. She would bide her time and wait and pick up the pieces when the walls came tumbling down.

"Room three, sir," she told him with a sad smile. "Don't wake him, and if there are any problems phone me straight away – someone will be checking on him in about an hour."

"Okay," Jack stated his hand on the door handle. "Could you please let the General know that I will be completing my report in room three if anyone needs me?"

"Yes, sir," Janet replied and watched as Jack made his way down the corridor towards the VIP rooms. She sighed and returned to her own reports with a heavy heart. This whole situation was such a mess. The loss of good men was devastating and the guilt of good men was criminal.

xxx

Jack gently lowered himself on to the bed. He lent his elbows on his knees, placed his head in his hands, and sighed sadly. Daniel was fast a sleep, curled up in his normal position, both hands tucked under his chin. He looked exhausted, even in his sleep. His face was as white as the sheets making the angry red scratch on his cheek stand out more prominently. Jack sighed again, shook his head and – after a quick glance up to the security camera – reached out and carded his hand through Daniel's hair. What he really wanted to do was to reach out and pull his lover into his arms, to rock him. To assure him he was still alive, to hold him and never let him go again – but – he knew the score and had to be content with the minimal touch. Daniel stirred and whimpered.

"Shh. It's okay. It's only me," Jack soothed rubbing the sleeping man's arm. "Sleep, Danny. Just sleep."

Daniel smacked his lips and settled again. Jack remained at his side for a few minutes, waiting for any more signs of distress – signs that did not come. Happy that Daniel was resting once more he tucked the covers over him and made his way to the desk in the lounge part of the room to work on his report.

He liked this room. Janet always put SG-1 in room three when they needed to regroup or recover. The relaxing sofa and computer station made it easier for the team to come together and heal when needed. Jack powered up the laptop and began logging his thoughts. This was not going to be an easy report to write, documenting what happened was going to be hard though not as hard as having to tell the relatives of the airmen and scientist's that perished. He did not envy the General that job. He had asked if General Hammond could inform Mary Rothman – Robert's wife – first, as he knew Daniel would want to – no, knowing Daniel he would insist he be the one to tell her, and Jack doubted that he would be strong enough. So Daniel would be pissed when he found out but Jack could deal with a pissed Daniel more easily than a devastated one.


	2. Chapter 2

The sound of tapping pulled Daniel from his sleep. His head felt like it was stuffed with cotton wool and his mouth had the familiar dryness and taste of sedation. He slowly uncurled his legs and winched at the soreness of his muscles. He managed to turn onto his back with a groan as the muscles in his upper body screamed out in protest. Slowly opening his eyes – eyes that felt glued together – Daniel rolled onto his side and looked at the clock. Eighteen thirty four hours, he'd been asleep for nearly nine hours.

"Hey."

The tapping sound stopped and a familiar voice called from a cross the room. Daniel eased himself up the bed head, feeling like an old man as his whole body objected to the movement. He smiled when he saw Jack leaning back and stretching in his chair.

"Hey," he retorted.

Jack yawned and power downed his laptop. Making his way to the bed, he sat on the edge, picked up Daniel's hand, and stroked the back of it affectionately.

"How ya feeling?" He asked as Daniel closed his eyes again.

"Tired…sore…sad," Daniel admitted with a sigh.

"I bet."

They both sat quietly, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally Daniel broke the silence, he licked his lips and looked at Jack.

"Is there any water?" He asked. "My mouth feels like an Abydos desert."

Jack snorted, filled a glass, and helped Daniel take a sip.

"Janet's been in and out a few times – checking on you," he informed him as Daniel took another mouthful of water.

"Um," Daniel nodded and inched down the bed once more. He quietly groaned as the water caused his stomach to cramp. Jack put the glass back on the bedside table and looked at the younger man with concern.

"You sure you shouldn't be in the infirmary Danny?" He asked noticing his discomfort. Daniel took several deep breaths as a wave of nausea washed over him – he finally shook his head.

"Just tired," he admitted.

"Ya sure?" Jack stroked his hair once more, "Because you just went a lovely shade of green." He smiled gently and carried on stroking. Daniel had his eyes closed still concentrating on trying to settle his stomach. He knew he was loosing the battle when a cramp griped him once more. Moving quicker than he or Jack thought possible he lurched to the bathroom, just in time to throw himself in front of the toilet as he violently vomited.

"Crap," Jack cursed as he stood at the door way watching Daniel vomit over and over again until finally he hung boneless over the rim, dry heaving constantly. He wet a towel and placed it on the nape of Daniel's neck.

"Hang on," he urged as Daniel moaned and continued to retch.

"Just gonna put a call through to the Doc."

Xxx

"Okay, Daniel, let's see if that will settle your stomach," Janet soothed rubbing at the injection site on Daniel's thigh. "I've given you some anti nausea medicine that should ease the cramps and will make you drowsy." She pulled his covers up once more, pumped up the blood pressure cuff, and waited for the readout. "Blood pressure is a little low and your temp is…" She reached and took the thermometer out of Daniels mouth, "normal." She smiled and placed the glass tube, cuff, and tubing back into her bag. Sighing, Janet looked down at her patient as he laid eyes closed, but nowhere near asleep, and patted his arm in sympathy.

"I think it's probably the anti-inflammatory playing havoc with your stomach as usual, Daniel," she told him with a sad sigh. "Think you gonna have to tough this one out for a bit."

Daniel nodded and curled up on his side once more, his stomach still objecting. He felt completely miserable.

"Do you need him back in the infirmary Doc?" Jack asked, hovering.

Janet shook her head. "Not at this stage, I'm pretty sure this is just a reaction to the drugs. If the vomiting doesn't ease I will re evaluate but at the moment hopefully he should sleep this off." She made some notes on Daniels file and stuffed it back in her bag.

"Can you stay with him, sir?" She asked hopefully and smiled as Jack nodded.

"I'll get someone to bring in a cot for the rest of the night. I'm not happy for him to be on his own." She paused and patted Jack's arm. "I don't think the sterile atmosphere of the infirmary is the right place for him at the moment, Jack."

Jack looked at her and nodded.

"I'm just a call away," Janet told him, took one last look at Daniel who appeared to be sleeping, and made her way to the door.

"Just ring me if you need me."

xxx

Jack sighed and pulled up the covers in frustration. What he wouldn't do to be in bed with Daniel, holding him, caressing him, but he knew the security cameras were on watching their every move. The cot was very uncomfortable and not quite big enough, and as tired as he was, he doubted he would get much sleep tonight. Daniel had drifted off into a deep sleep not long after Janet left, lulling Jack into a slightly uneasy sense of security. Now, an hour later though, and Daniel was restless. Jack eased himself onto one arm as Daniel turned and groaned again.

"Daniel?" He whispered and waited. Daniel flopped onto his back and moaned, his arm clutching at his abdomen. Jack stumbled out of bed and put the bedside lamp on.

"Daniel?" He urged again gently.

"H-h-hurts," Daniel stammered his head lolling from side to side.

"Where?" Jack asked, concern showing in his voice.

"S-s-stomach," Daniel moaned easing on to his side breathing heavily.

"Gonna be sick?" Jack enquired rubbing the stricken mans back.

Daniel dropped his head and nodded.

"Hang on." Jack rushed and emptied the trash bin and held it in place, just in time, as Daniel vomited once more.

"G-g-god," Daniel spat when he was able to take a breath. He looked up at Jack with sad eyes.

"Feel like crap," he admitted and lent his head on Jacks shoulder. Jack rubbed his back as Daniel rocked backwards and forwards, waiting for the next round. Within seconds he was hanging onto the basket for dear life and his stomach very painfully tried to expel contents that were no longer there.

Jack reached for the phone with a sinking heart.


	3. Chapter 3

"I've put him on a drip and hopefully that should ease things for him."

Janet pulled the curtains around Daniel's normal infirmary bed.

"We'll keep a close eye on him and see how he is in the morning," she told Jack with a tight smile.

"Still think it's a drug reaction?" Jack asked tugging at his hair.

Janet shrugged her shoulders.

"Could be anything, sir. He was run down before the mission. Being dragged around like he was, and being forced to take a swim in a lake that contained goodness knows what, is not going to have a good effect on anyone," she admitted with a sad sigh. "At the moment he's asleep and no longer vomiting. His ob's are stable and I've re-done his bloods. We'll review things when the results are in." She patted Jacks arm once more. "Go – get some sleep you look done in. There's nothing you can do for him now other than let him rest."

Jack nodded and smiled.

"Think I'll put my head down back in the VIP room. Call me if there is any change," he asked as his words lost in a jaw-cracking yawn.

Janet smiled.

"Yes sir – no problem."

Xx

"Morning, sir"

"Hey, Carter," Jack greeted Sam as she joined him at their usual table in the commissary.

"Didn't you go home?" He asked as he took a mouthful of cereal. Sam shook her head.

"No. Didn't fancy an empty house." She shrugged and Jack nodded. He knew how she was feeling. The memories of the mission were very unseating.

"How about you?"

"Daniel had a tough night," he stated with a tight smile.

"Oh? I thought Janet had discharged him out of the infirmary?" She frowned and put her coffee cup down.

"She did but he ended up vomiting all night. She thinks it was likely a reaction to the drugs she gave him. He was re-admitted a few hours ago and put on a fluid drip."

"Oh. I was kinda surprised she hadn't enforced a stay on him in the first place."

"You and me both," Jack admitted. "But apparently Daniel's emotions were all over the place and he needed some space. I spent the evening with him playing nurse maid."

"Did you get your report done?"

Jack nodded. "Yeah, in between trips to the bathroom." He put his spoon down and pushed his bowl away, his appetite vanishing. "That report was probably one of the hardest I have ever had to write," he admitted with a heavy heart.

"Yeah," Sam commiserated. "I had about five attempts at mine."

They both sat in silence, mulling over the mission events until Sam cleared her throat.

"So. What now?" She asked draining her cup.

"Well, Hammond is contacting next of kin as we speak, Doc Warner is dealing with the casualties, and I suppose there is a memorial to consider."

"Yeah." Sam bowed her head. "Sometimes this job really sucks."

"Only sometimes, Carter?" Jack retorted shaking his head in dismay. Good, good men had been lost. Good friends, brave colleges – gone. The base was quiet, in mourning for their losses. It was going to take a long time to get over this.

Jack straightened up.

"Listen. I'm gonna take a shower and check in on Daniel," he said picking up his bowl and making for the counter. "What's on your agenda?"

"I'm gonna have one final look at my report and I'll join you in the infirmary – see if we can help Daniel with his if he is up to it." Jack held the door open for her.

"Kay". See you in – oh, half an hour?"

"Fine."

Xxx

"Hey,"

Janet smiled as Daniel stared drowsily at her. She reached over and poured a tumbler of water and offered it to him.

"Do you think you could manage some water?" She asked, smiling thinly as he nodded slowly and struggled up right. Janet rearranged the pillows behind him to make him more comfortable and Daniel took the offered glass.

"Small sip," Janet ordered. "Let's see if your stomach behaves."

Thirst sated, Daniel gave Janet the half empty cup, lent his head back and closed his eyes. Satisfied Janet disconnected the IV that had been running over night.

"Think we will stick to water for now," she told him, applying pressure to the puncture wound caused by the cannula.

"There, all done," she smiled. "How are you feeling now?"

"Better," Daniel admitted, his eyes still closed. He did feel better, not good, but better. The urge to empty his stomach every couple of minutes had gone, in fact he thought he could manage something to eat, and his stomach grumbled in agreement.

Janet laughed. "Think some one is hungry," she stated patting his arm. "I'll get Dawn to rustle up some soup and crackers – see how that stays down."

Daniel looked at her and smiled.

"I could eat," he admitted.

"Good," Janet replied marking her findings on Daniel's chart and clipping it back onto the bottom of his bed. "Won't be long. See if you can get some more sleep, you look shattered."

As if on cue, Daniel yawned and nodded. He curled up on his side and his eyes slid shut. Janet pulled the curtains round his bed to give him some privacy and peace.

Xxx

Daniel stared at the blank page and rubbed his eyes. The short nap had left him feeling just as tired as before. He had managed to eat most of the soup and crackers, mind you he did have to be bribed with the promise of a pad and pen to satisfy Janet. He had so much he wanted to say, and Mary Rothman deserved the truth, but Daniel knew that would never happen. He also knew that Mary knew the score. Mary and Robert had been married for fifteen years, fifteen years of living a lie, hiding the truth, a false existence really. All Mary knew was that Robert was a scientist and his place of work was Cheyenne Mountain, and that everyday Robert would kiss his wife and children goodbye and start his secret life. That was no life, no foundation for a marriage. Now though, everything had changed. How the hell was the military going to explain the death of a civilian scientist? How were they going to make Mary believe whatever tale they concocted? She was no fool. Daniel had known the couple for over eight years; Robert had been his research assistant when he was doing his dissertation in Chicago.

The two men had become close friends during this time and the Rothmans, had all but 'adopted' Daniel. He had very fond memories of evenings spent with the couple in their rambling home in leafy Chicago. They were forever renovating. Robert had the habit of starting jobs and never completing them – his mind would constantly wonder from one project to another but their home was always welcoming and homely. Mary was a wonderful cook and would take the chance to 'fatten' up Daniel as much as possible, and Daniel was grateful, the life of a student was a tough on for him and the offer of a home cooked meal after a long day of studying made things a lot easier for him.

When he found out the SGC had recruited Robert after Share's death, Daniel had been really pleased. He knew Robert would be a capable addition to the archeological department. At that point Daniel had decided his time with the SGC programme was over. Share was gone, there was nothing for him to fight for or search for, but the thought of finding the Harcissis child had drawn him back into SG1, and Robert and he worked side by side once more. Now, though, now things had changed. Robert was gone, Mary was widowed, Matthew and Martha were father less, and Daniel was devastated.

"You look better."

Daniel looked up as Jack dragged a chair over to his bedside.

"Yeah, I feel better."

Jack moved the roll over table to one side.

"Manage to eat?" He asked nodding towards the empty dinner tray.

"Yeah." Daniel nodded slowly and picked up his pen again.

"You need to lean on the table?" Jack asked as Dawn popped round the curtains and collected the tray. He pushed the table closer to Daniel who placed the pad and pen on it. He learnt his head back and closed his eyes in concentration; he bit his bottom lip and tapped the pen on the side of the table.

"So. What ya doin?" Jack asked nonchalantly. "Doc know you've got the pad?"

Daniel opened his eyes and smiled.

"Ate my soup – got the pad," he stated.

"Ah," Jack smiled back. "Bribery always works with you, Doctor Jackson."

"Yup."

"So. What ya writing?" Jack urged again. "Thought you were gonna wait for me and Carter to do your report?"

"Report can wait – this is far more important," Daniel replied as he started to doodle.

"Oookay." Jack sat back, arms crossed against his chest. "So what is far more important than your report? Mind you, gotta say, report writing is not number one on my favourite things to do list but you know you can't avoid it forever, Daniel."

"I need to write to Mary Rothman." Daniel carried on scribbling. "No, no – not um, need, I, um, I, have to, I owe it to her. She, she - she would wonder why I haven't been in touch, I mean, I wanted to go see her, phone her, email her but Janet wouldn't let me. Mary would wonder why I hadn't. I've known her for years, Martha is my god daughter, and they took me in and fed me and offered me their home." Daniel was scribbling harder and harder, his words coming out faster and faster.

"She will be so lost, so confused. I don't know what General Hammond told her, what story was told to her, but I need her to know that, um, Robert did not, um, suffer. Thing is – he did, I know he did, but, but, I don't want her to know, to, to; I don't know, I don't know – what do I say? I don't know, god, this, this is so hard. I don't know…."

"Daniel." Jack reached over and put his hand over Daniels and with his other hand he removed the pen. Daniel sat head bowed and shaking.

"You don't have to do this now," Jack soothed his voice low.

"No, no – I do. I do Jack. She needs to know." He looked up at Jack, tear's flowing freely down his face.

"Not now, Daniel. You need to rest."

Daniel shook his head fiercely from side to side.

"No, no, no – I need to write to Mary. I-I-I need to do this," he stuttered. "She'll want to know where he is, why he hasn't come home, why, why he hasn't finished the garden. Matthew will be waiting. Its hockey night, Robert will need to take him." Daniel was shaking, his teeth chattering.

"M-m-martha will b-b-e sat waiting for him. S-h-he'll have homework…"

"Daniel?"

Daniel stopped and looked at Jack.

"I'm c-c-cold." He wrapped his arms around his torso and rocked backwards and forwards. Jack lent forward and placed his hand on Daniels forehead and winched at the heat radiating off his partner.

"Doc!" He yelled over his shoulder as he helped Daniel to lie down.

"I'm c-c-c-cold," Daniel stuttered curling into a ball.

"It's okay, Doc's on her way," Jack soothed straightening the blanket over the shaking man.

"Colonel?" Janet rushed to the bedside.

"He's burning up, Doc." Jack moved aside so Janet could get closer to her patient. Janet picked up Daniel's wrist and took his pulse as she waited for the bleep of the thermometer. She looked at the display.

"103.4," she tutted and brushed Daniel's sweat soaked fringe off his forehead.

"What's going on hey, Daniel?"

"C-c-c-c-cold," Daniel moaned.

"Okay, let's see what we can do about that, sweetie, just hold on."

She turned to Jack.

"I'm going to start his IV's again sir," she told him reaching for Daniel's chart again.

"Doc?" Jack asked picking up Daniel's hand with a sigh.

"Looks like he's picked up an infection," she announced clicking her pen shut. "We'll re-check his blood, start some fluids, and give him some medication to bring his fever down. We'll know more when we have his blood results."

Jack nodded and sat down ready to resume his bedside vigil. His whole attention was given to the stricken man who continued to shiver and moan. He could hear the orders being given – he watched as blood was taken and IV's started. He held Daniel's hand like a lifeline. The nurses worked around him, they knew there was no point in asking him to leave – Jack O'Neill would not be going anywhere.


	4. Chapter 4

"I'll need a sample of the lake water at least, sir."

Janet Fraiser lent forward, her arms resting on the briefing table.

"Ideally I would like a sample from the Unas as well…"

"I don't think that's going to be an option, Doc," Jack interrupted. Daniel's blood results had come in and Janet had called an emergency briefing.

"Colonel, I need to identify the bug that has destroyed Doctor Jackson's immune system. He is totally wide open to all infections." She shook her head as she re-read Daniel's blood results. "Something has attacked his blood count and I need to know what so I can treat it before the infection in his lungs gets any worse. His body is not fighting this and we can only artificially fight it so long. He is now in ICU. Unless we can restore his immunity this infection might prove to be fatal."

There was silence in the room.

Janet looked at the stricken faces of the remainder of SG-1 and tried to smile.

"I need to identify the parasite and then the labs should be able to come up the right antibiotic combination. A blood transfusion should be able to deal with his immune system but I can't do anything until we fight the infection, and nothing I have tried has worked," she admitted.

Jack cleared his throat.

"Right we need to send a team as soon as possible, sir."

George Hammond nodded.

"SG-3 is ready Jack."

Jack turned to Sam and Teal'c.

"Carter, T – you go with them. Take them to the lake. Proceed with caution. If there is and danger what so ever – pull back. Do you understand?"

Sam nodded. "Sir," she agreed begrudgingly. She knew they needed the sample – no – Daniel needed the sample but the risk of being infected with a Goa'uld symbiote was high. Maybe there was another way.

"Janet, would a sample of blood from another infected person be enough?" She asked, chewing at her bottom lip.

"Carter?" Jack looked at her puzzled.

"Sir, if the parasite making Daniel ill was in the water then it must have spread to his blood stream to cause his immune system to crash." She looked over at Janet for confirmation.

"Go on," Janet nodded and urged.

Sam swallowed hard.

"Well. If we exhumed Rothman's and Hawkins's bodies, and take their blood for testing, it might come up with something to help Daniel without risking anyone else being compromised." She pursed her lips and looked down at her hands clasped in front of her.

Silence enveloped the room once more. What was being suggested was so, so, wrong. So incomprehensible – so inhumane, but at the same time, the real threat of any member of the SGC being impregnated by a Goa'uld larva was a death sentence.

Janet coughed gently, breaking the silence.

"I'd need both, Sam," She smiled apologetically, knowing what she was asking.

"Okay," Jack started. "Proceed with caution while collecting the lake sample, and with the blood samples, do what you have to do but be as humane as possible."

"Yes, sir."

"Can I suggest if we are successful we keep this little bit of information to ourselves. Daniel doesn't need to know."

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed.

"Doctor Fraiser, if the sample's do not give you the information what would be your next step?" George Hammond enquired gently.

"Well, if the answer is not in the contaminated water I would need a sample from the Unas who scratched Doctor Jackson's face. The infection may have been from him and then passed directly into his blood stream."

"Oy vey," Jack exclaimed tugging at his hair.

"Let's cross that bridge when and if we need to," Hammond ordered. "I don't want to borrow trouble by interacting with the Unas if we don't have to. Obviously, Doctor Jackson communicated with this, um, beast, but we do not have the luxury of his vast skills on this one. Collect the samples, get them checked, and hope and pray we can come up with a cure."

"Yes sir," Jack retorted with a firm nod. The thought of tracking Chaka, and trying to communicate with him without Daniel's linguistic skills, was not high on his to-do list. Though, Jack conceded, he would have no qualms about killing the Unas and dragging its carcass back through the gate if he had to. There was no way in hell they were going to give up on Daniel until they'd exhausted all their options.

"Right. Let's go, guys."

X x x x x

Jack was surprised to see Daniel awake and sitting up.

He had seen Sam, Teal'c, and the team off, reminding them to proceed with caution. His head told him he should be with them but his heart told him his place was at Daniel's side, and this time he listened to his heart. Sam and Colonel Reynolds were more than capable of collecting the samples that would hopefully satisfy the Doc, and help Daniel. It was not often Colonel Jack O'Neill let his heart take over but Daniel had been so devastated, and Jack had felt so guilty over his actions that 'tough shit' – or words to that effect – his place was in the ICU with his ass firmly planted in the uncomfortable plastic chair and his hand discreetly placed in his lover's.

"I didn't think you'd be awake."

Jack pulled up the chair and took Daniel's hot hand in his. He gently rubbed his thumb up and down the dry burning skin. Daniel nodded enthusiastically.

"I'm 'wake," Daniel croaked, his voice muffled by an oxygen mask, face bathed in sweat. Under the covers, jack could see his body moving restlessly, held in the grip of fever while his chest heaved as his lungs worked overtime trying to provide oxygen to his weakened body.

"Take it easy. Don't try and talk," Jack urged, concerned at the effort Daniel was expanding trying to communicate.

"W-w-where am I," Daniel stammered, his head whipping round, brow creased in confusion.

Jack lent forward and grasped both of Daniel's hand in his.

"Shh. Its Okay – you're in the infirmary," he soothed trying to calm his lover. Daniel shook his head.

"N-n-no. N-not infirmary," he stuttered. "Umm. N-n-no. C-cave."

Daniels breathing was now fast and laboured. He tore one of his hands out of Jacks and tried to claw at his oxygen mask. Jack reached and plucked the hand away.

"You need to leave that on," he urged calmly. "Doc!" He called over his shoulder as he gently brushed Daniels fringe off his hot forehead, trying to sooth him.

"Calm your breathing, shhh, Doc's on her way." He kept his voice quiet and steady, though his heart hammered in his chest.

Janet rushed into the cubical.

"Sir?"

She gently pushed past Jack and proceeded to check her patient.

"He's not making much sense," Jack stated scrubbing his hands through his hair in frustration. Although, he was pleased to see Daniel conscious and talking, the confusion, restlessness, and struggle for breath had him worried even more.

"It's okay sir," Janet said, flashing Jack a tight smile over her shoulder as she checked out Daniels readings, her hand around her patient's wrist as she manually double-checked her patients pulse.

"His fever is high and dehydration is adding to his confusion," she told him turning back to Daniel, gently rubbed his arm.

"It's okay Daniel," she soothed. "Everything is going to be fine."

Daniel stared at her, wide eyed, glancing rapidly side-to-side. Janet picked up his hands, and noticing the blueness of his nails, she checked his pulse ox and added up the figures.

"Daniel. I need you to listen to me. Can you do that?" She urged, turning his chin in an effort to make him concentrate.

"You are in the infirmary. Jack is here." She nodded towards the worried man at her side.

"We need you to calm your breathing down and try and relax okay?"

Daniel's gaze still darted backwards around the room.

"Daniel!" Jack called firmly. "You're okay, just do as the Doc say's, hey," he ordered, retaking his hand in his. Daniel blinked and stared, his breathing ragged but slower. He took deeper breaths and slowly nodded.

"Good boy, "Jack praised with a smile. "That's it, slowly, slowly…"

Janet nodded at the waiting nurse who passed her a loaded syringe.

"Daniel. I'm going to give you a mild sedative. See if you can get some rest, okay?"

Daniel nodded, his eyes still glued on Jack and his lover smiled in agreement. Janet deftly injected the drug into Daniel's IV.

"Keep your breathing as slow and deep as you can, the sedative will kick in soon," she promised as she watched Daniel for reaction. Within minutes Daniel's eyes started to droop and his face began to relax. She turned to Jack.

"I'm going to change his oxygen to a two way one, Jack. It will help him while his body gets some rest," she told him as she made notes on Daniel's chart.

Jack nodded and stroked Daniel's cheek, soothing him as he drifted to a drug assisted sleep.

"Jack?"

Janet rubbed his arm, as Jack made no move to leave Daniel's side.

"Sir?" She urged again when she received no response.

"W-what?" Jack turned his head to face her, his hand never leaving Daniel's burning cheek.

"You need to step out, Jack," she told him with a tight smile. "We need to get the new mask up and running as soon as we can. The sedative is not going to help with his breathing," she urged as gently as she could knowing Jack desperately did not want to leave Daniel's side, but she knew that Daniel's well being was being seriously compromised the longer they delayed.

"Please, Jack, go get some rest, something to eat. We'll look after Daniel." She drew the curtains back as Doctor Warner arrived with the equipment ready to set up the part respirator. Jack snapped out of the shock he was experiencing, cleared his throat, and straightened up. He gently placed Daniels hand under the covers and tenderly brushed his hand over the sick mans forehead and traced his thumb around his furrowed brow, smoothing the crinkled lines as much as he could. He hated to see Daniel scowl.

"I'll be back soon," he whispered, turned, nodded at the two Doctors, and left them to do what they did best.


	5. Chapter 5

"Okay, let's get this over with as quickly as possible," Sam ordered, gun ready, her gaze darting to and fro, assessing the situation. Her feet squelched in the mud as she tried to get a footing on the bank of the lake. They had been greeted with a monsoon like storm as soon as they exited the 'gate' making the hour-long trek back to the lake, which was now a gravesite for their fallen comrades, very difficult. They had walked in silence, each of the group lost in their own thoughts, each knowing that the task a head would be one of the hardest things they would ever have to do, but, each knowing that Daniel was running out of time, and they were his last hope.

"Let's get digging men," Colonel Reynolds ordered, handing out the air force issued shovels. "Kendrick, Richards, and Pearce – I want you spread between point and six. We could do with out a visit from the Doc's new best friends."

"Yes sir," the men answered in unison and took their positions. The rest began their macabre mission as Sam found a dry place under the shade of a tree and began to set up the make shift field lab. Teal'c paced backwards and forwards along the lake, staff weapon poised and ready.

Not a man spoke; all that was heard was the lapping of the water and the measured sound of careful digging. Nothing was rushed; everything was as calm as possible.

Xxx

All Daniel could hear was the loud, overbearing, deafening sound of the oxygen being forced into his lungs. Time had lost all meaning. He could not keep still, his head pounded, his heart raced, and sweat poured off his body. All he wanted to do was lie down and sleep, he was so tired, but he was frightened too. Janet had him propped up in bed with pillows either side of his trembling body holding him upright. He reached out a shaking hand and grabbed for his 'anchor'. Jack immediately took his hand into his and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"It's gonna be okay. I'm here."

Daniel nodded and tried to smile. Returning Jack's squeeze required more energy than he had, so he gave up trying. The effort of breathing was getting too much and his vision was greying at the edges. His chest was now so tight he heart monitor alerted everyone to his increasing distress as the tone sped up. Weakly, he grabbed at Jack's hand, his eyes wide with fear. Jack sensed his lover's distress and leaned into him.

"Danny, you have to calm down," he urged. "I know you're frightened but you have to concentrate on your breathing."

Daniel nodded again and stared into his lover's eyes, trying to gain strength from Jack's powerful gaze.

"Shh, shh," Jack soothed keeping his voice as calm as he could. "Carter and Teal'c are on the case, they'll be back as soon as they can, and the Doc will soon have you patched up and better. When you're better I'm gonna take you away for a while, the General has already said we all need a vacation. Close your eyes, try and imagine the sun on your face, the lapping of the ocean waves, you in my arms, safe and content. We'll go fishing for our supper and sleep under the stars. You just have to imagine peace and calm. Just you and me." He gently caressed Daniels arm, rubbing smooth circles. Daniel let his eyes slide close, and let himself relax as he stopped fighting the oxygen and just listened to his partners soothing voice…

xx

"Sir?" Lieutenant Michael Kendrick passed his CO the binoculars. "Looks like the Stargate is cut off," he observed as he pulled his Boonie down over his eyes, trying to keep the driving rain out.

"Damn I," Colonel Reynolds exclaimed and spoke quietly over his shoulder.

"Major Carter, there are ten Unas protecting the gate," he informed Sam as she crouched next to him.

"Just great," she muttered taking the binoculars and passing them to Teal'c. "Any ideas?"

After exhuming the graves and collecting blood samples, Teal'c took a moment to collect water while there was no sign of symbiote activity in the lake. Both tasks had been particularly unpleasant, and although no one openly said anything, they all wanted to return home.

"Not a lot we can do, Major," Reynolds replied. "We are ill-equipped to take on one Unas, let alone a 'pack'. We'll have to wait it out." He placed the binoculars back into his pack and turned to his colleagues.

"Let's try and find somewhere a lot dryer, and wait and see."

"But, Sir, Daniel may not have time…" Sam interrupted.

"I'm sorry, Major, but I'm not risking anyone else. Let's lie low – they'll soon get fed up and leave, if not, the General will send reinforces when we miss our check in. Let's not borrow trouble if we don't have to, okay?"

"Yes sir," Sam conceded as Reynolds pointed the team towards the nearest trees for shelter, one eye on the pack of Unas in front of them in the distance.

It didn't take Sam long to realize the Unas must have been tracking them all along. Their backs were straight, noses pointed to the wind and with a heavy heart; she figured getting home wasn't going to be that easy.

X x x x x

Janet checked Daniel's readings for the second time in ten minutes, and she was not happy with what she saw. Daniel was getting tired- Too tired to help with the two-way oxygen in take of the mask. She brushed his sweat soaked bangs off his face and was greeted with the fluttering of eye lashes as Daniel managed to pry open his sleepy eyes.

"Hey," she greeted with a sad smile as Daniel tried to smile back.

"J'ck?" He managed to croak.

"Shh. Don't try and talk," she soothed, taking his hand and perched on the corner of his bed.

"Jack was nodding off so I sent him to get some rest," Janet told him, placing her hand flat on his heaving chest. She didn't need to look at the monitors – she could feel his heart racing. Putting the back of her other hand on his forehead, she frowned at the heat pouring off him. She turned Daniel's face to hers and gently patted his cheek.

"Listen, Daniel," Janet urged, and waited as Daniel appeared to struggle to bring her into focus.

"I'm not happy with your obs," she continued as Daniel stared at her unblinking. "I know you are very tired," she soothed gently. "You need to rest but you are not taking in enough oxygen. Do you understand?" Daniel nodded slowly.

"I think we need to put you on a ventilator," she stated calmly picking up Daniel's hand as he fervently shook his head in protest.

"Just for a short time Daniel, just so you get some rest." She rubbed his arm to calm him. "You can't go on like this – you know that." She smiled sadly at him. "Just so you can get some sleep – let your body rest and recover, okay?"

Daniel let a single tear fall but nodded in agreement. He was tired but too afraid to give into sleep fully just in case he did not wake up.

Janet cupped his cheek with her hand and rubbed her thumb up and down his fever hot cheek.

"I'll go and get things ready," she told him with a sigh and continued, "and I'll go and wake Colonel O'Neill so he can sit with you, okay?"

Daniel lent into her touch and reluctantly nodded in agreement. She was right.

"I'm sorry Daniel," Janet stated tucking his hand back under the covers.

"I won't be long."

xxx

Janet took a deep breath before gently knocking on the VIP suit door. She was thankful Jack had done as he was told and, by her watch, he had had at least three hours sleep. She hated to wake him, knowing how exhausted he was but knew he would never forgive her if she ventilated Daniel without him there, by his side, where he belonged.

"Colonel O'Neill?" She called gently when she noticed the sleeping lump in the bed. She tip toed in and gently shook his shoulders. Jack came awake with a start, rocking Janet on her heels as he bolted upright. Years of special ops training always had him on alert; in fact the only time he allowed him self to completely 'go' was safe in Daniel's arms.

"Wha?"

He scrubbed at his eyes and flicked on the bedside lamp.

"Oh. Sorry, Doc," he apologised as Janet swayed and caught herself on the wall.

"No my fault," she admitted with a shy smile. "I should know better than to creep up on you, sir."

There had been notorious tales of Jack O'Neil snapping awake with weapon poised in the early days but time, and Daniel Jackson, had softened him round the edges.

"Daniel?" Jack asked urgently, swinging his legs off the bed. Janet pulled up a chair and placed her hands on Jacks knees and looked him straight in the eye.

"Sir… Jack." She corrected herself. She was no longer giving a Commanding Officer report on someone on his team – this was personal, much more personal – they were 'family'.

"He's tired, Jack."

Jack studied her, his brow furrowed in puzzlement.

"I thought he was sleeping."

Janet quickly looked at floor then back into the desperate brown eyes.

"He is – was. He's not able to get enough oxygen into his lungs and the two-way breathing mask is not helping anymore. What it should be doing is helping regulate…"

"Cut to the chase, Doc," Jack snapped irritably. Still tired from limited sleep, he was in no condition to go 'round the houses.'

"He needs to be on a ventilator, Jack." Janet gently rubbed his knee, hoping the touch would ground him. He stared at her, mouth open in shock.

"The act of breathing on his own is exhausting him," she continued. "We don't have any other choices at this stage. Until Sam comes back with some answers he would be much more comfortable if he could have some complete rest – let us take over for him… It's not forever sir."

"Does he know?" Jack asked with a sigh.

"Yes. I told him you would sit with him until we put him out."

"That goes without saying, Doc." Jack levered himself upright, his knees clicking in response.

"I know," Janet agreed pushing the chair to one side.

"Let's go then."


	6. Chapter 6

"Any change, Pearce?" Sam crouched down next to the young captain as he kept a close eye on the pack of Unas. They had retreated to the tree line, out of plain sight.

"No, Major," Tim Pearce informed her passing the binoculars. "No change in position. It looks like they are there for the long run."

Sam scanned the scene in front of her. The Stargate stood on top of a slight hill surrounded by open fields. There was no way they could advance without being spotted, and as much as she hated to admit it, Colonel Reynolds was right – the risk was too great. She looked at her watch – the check in deadline had passed.

She knew protocol would take over now. There was not a lot they could do unless the Unas dispersed or action was taken after the MALP was sent through to check on them.

The pack of Unas was on high alert – their strange strangled callings echoed around the valley. They were displaying pack mentality, almost imaging their own military minds. They were in pairs around the Stargate. Poised and ready for action as they continually 'sniffed' the air, most likely sensing their intruder's unusual scent. More intelligent than she gave the credit for, it was obvious by their movement that they had a plan. Daniel had managed a limited debrief when he returned from 888, and told them of his captor's willingness to correspond and make judgements for himself. Unfortunately Daniel was not here now, though judging from the snarling and scratching coming from the beasts, even he would have his work cut out trying to reason with them. So. They had no choice other to sit and wait. Wait for the action to pan out – it was out of their hands now and that frustrated the hell out of Sam. Time was running out for Daniel.

Handing the binoculars back she whispered, "Keep in constant radio contact."

"Yes, Major."

Xxx

"Okay, Daniel. This is what we're going to do."

Janet prepared the intubation equipment.

Jack kept a tight hold of Daniel's hand.

Daniel's gaze darted around the room, finally settling on Jack.

"It's gonna be okay," Jack soothed; he knew how frightened his lover must be. He squeezed the trembling hand hoping to offer some sort of comfort. "Let the Doc do her thing. You're so tired." He reached up and stroked Daniel's sweat soaked brow and smiled as Daniel slowly nodded.

"It won't be forever – I promise. Just so you can get some rest. When you wake up, I'll be here, Sam and Teal'c will be back with the answer, and I'm sure George will give us that time off. Maybe we could all go fishing?"

Daniel nodded again, his eyes never leaving Jack's.

"Daniel?" Janet broke the spell, and Daniel slowly turned his head to face her. He tried to smile reassuringly but couldn't stop the tears welling up in his eyes. Janet reached for a tissue and gently brushed them away before they could fall.

"I know you're scared, sweetie, but we're not going to let anything happen to you. Your body just needs a break.

She turned and added some medication into his IV.

"I've just given you something that will make you sleepy and once you are asleep I'll insert the tube. Okay?"

Daniel nodded as is eyes began to immediately flutter tiredly. Janet nodded to Jack and took a step back to allow the two men some space.

Jack perched on the bed and took Daniel in his arms, the heat of the younger man's fever bleeding through his thin scrubs. As Daniel lent his head against his shoulders and began to relax, Jack rubbed his back tenderly, all the time reassuring him that everything was going to be all right and that he loved him so much. When Daniel's body became heavier he laid him back down gently.

"Doc," Jack called over his shoulder and watched in a dream like state as Janet and her staff made quick work of intubating his soul mate.

Xxx

Janet passed Jack a cup of coffee.

"Have a seat, Jack." She smiled and poured her self a cup. "He's much more comfortable now."

"I know," Jack admitted with a sigh.

"He couldn't have gone on much longer like that he was…"

"You don't have to justify it, Doc," Jack interrupted seeing the torment in Janet's eyes. "Like you said, he needed a rest." He nodded at her with a small smile on his face, letting Janet know that he backed her judgement all the way. Janet gave a tentative smile back and took a sip of coffee.

"Now all we need is those samples," she stated calmly. "I've got the best lab technicians and an endless supply of antibiotics on stand-by"

The ringing of her office phone stopped her mid sentence.

"Doctor Fraiser," she said pressing the receiver to her ear. "Yes, sir, he's right here, sir." She passed the phone over to Jack mouthing General Hammond's name as she did.

Jack cleared his throat – his mouth all of a sudden very dry.

"Yes, sir. Go on. Yes, sir, straight away, sir."

He passed the phone back to Janet and scrubbed his hands through his hair.

"Sir?" Janet asked placing the phone back on to its base.

"Um… The team has missed their check in. Hammond is preparing the MALP."

Janet nodded grimly, this was so not what they needed, not what Daniel needed.

Jack stood and indicated his thumb towards the door. He stood like a rabbit caught in the headlights – shocked.

"I – um – I gotta go," he stammered.

"Yes, sir. I'll stay with Daniel." Janet reached and gently stroked his forearm in sympathy.

"I'll keep in touch," Jack promised.

"Thank you."

Xxx

Jack joined the General and Walter just as the MALP was dispatched to the planet. They watched as the pack of Unas slowly gathered around it, snarling and growling down the camera. They looked on as the Unas rocked it side to side, their motions increasing in ferocity until the MALP was top ended, the image on the screen lost. There had been no signs of SG-3.

"Crap!" Jack exclaimed as the wormhole disengaged. "Now what?" He asked turning to his commanding office.

George Hammond sighed. "Now we wait and see, Jack." He said attempting to placate the worried man.

Jack bristled and stood upright.

"Not good enough, sir," he snarled. "Daniel doesn't have time."

"Well, do you have any ideas, Jack? The whole 'gate is surrounded. You saw for yourself – there is no sign of the recon team. It is out of our hands, son." He reached and placed a fatherly arm on the tired Colonel.

"Not acceptable," Jack snapped back. This was not how things were supposed to work out. He should have gone with them, made sure the mission was a success.

"Send another team."

"I am not going to risk more lives, Colonel. You have to put your trust in SG-3." George softened his voice, "Jack. Go get some sleep, there is nothing more we can do now. We'll send another MALP through in five hours if we have no contact. Please don't make me make it an order, son."

Jack took in the General's words as a wave of exhaustion washed over him. He was right, of course. He had to hope and pray that the others were safe and well and working out a plan to get home.

"I'm gonna sit with Daniel," he replied with a sigh.

"That's not much of a rest, Jack," George replied with his own sigh.

Jack looked up and shrugged his shoulders.

"It'll do for now, sir."

George shook his head. He knew deep down his 2IC would not rest until all his team – one young man especially – was safe, and above all, well.

xxx

Night had drawn in quickly on PX3-888 and with the lack of sun it had soon become extremely cold. Reynolds had risked lighting a small fire for warmth, and the team were huddled around it.

"Do you think they can see the smoke?" Pearce asked picking up the binoculars again. "They're not moving," he stated watching the pack of Unas as they stood in position guarding the 'gate'.

"If they can see it they sure ain't letting on," Reynolds replied placing another log on the dwindling fire.

Sam rubbed her cold hands together over the embers.

"They know they are in a position of strength," she offered, he eyes never lifting from the flickering flames. "They know there is no way we are going to be able to get home, and they're just biding their time," she sighed. How she wished they were home, home with the answers Janet required, and Daniel desperately needed.

"Well, sooner or later one of us is gonna have to give, and we have to make damn sure it's them rather than us." Reynolds stood and stretched.

"I suggest we get some rest. This stand off could go on some time," he suggested yawning loudly.

Sam looked up. "Sir? Are you sure one of us, under the cover of dark, couldn't we just…"

Reynolds held his hand up and interrupted.

"Not gonna happen, Major. You know as well as I do that'll be suicide."

"But…"

"No choice, Major, we dig in and reassess in the morning, and hope and pray that maybe the SGC can come up with an answer as well. Kendrick? First watch, then me, Pearce, Teal'c, Richards, and final watch – Major?"

Sam nodded sadly. She knew he was right but knowing did not make the situation any easier.

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Let's get some rest. We are gonna need our wits about us tomorrow."


	7. Chapter 7

It was so quiet. The normal hustle and bustle of the day had given over to the silence of night. Yes the phone still rang, yes the monitors still beeped and the oxygen pump still kept up its normal rhythmical song. In…Out…In…Out.

The medical personal communicated in hushed tones, going about their work with an almost stealth like efficiency.

The ICU was bathed in an orange glow as the lights had been dimmed accordingly. That was the difference here in the SGC. Having no natural light always created a false atmosphere, there was no real difference between night and day – only the man made version and Janet Fraiser always made sure that night fell in the Infirmary.

Jack sat at Daniel's bedside. Jack always sat at Daniel's bedside. He was so tired. He knew he should try and sleep but he was afraid to let himself go. His hand griped his lover's like a lifeline, a constant hold on his life. He rested his head on the corner of the metal-framed bed, and let the sounds of the suffering wash over him. The moans of airman Masters who writhed in pain, the whispers from Nurse Adams as she soothed the critically injured young man. Lieutenant Dorman would periodically call out in his sleep as the nightmares took a grip once more. Major Thomas crying for his mother, his father, his wife…

Jack's heart broke. These men should be with family. They should all have someone they loved by their side, but working here and having a normal life just did not go hand in hand. Many personnel signed up for the programme to escape 'normal life' – he and Daniel included. Ben Thomas's wife had left him years ago for a younger man, and he had never got over it. The SGC was a mistake and now he was dying alone in a mountain, under ground – a place the outside world did not know existed.

Matthew Masters was 19 years old. He was running away from a life on the streets, abandoned by his parents and shunned by his friends. Now he was a cripple. Both legs gone. A land mine off world accounted for that. The only bright light in his future was that the SGC looked after their own. If he survived the infection that made his temperature soar, he would be found a desk job. Somewhere for him to fit. Jack grimaced at the sound of Matthew vomiting the water he had begged Alice Adams for.

Michael Dorman was, and always has been a lost soul, a misfit. The claim of being abducted by aliens had landed him up in a mental institute – the same one SG-1 found Nicolas Ballard in. In fact it was Nicolas who had talked Jack and the General in to recruiting the young man, his knowledge of Egyptian history had reminded the elderly man of his grandson, and Michael had been a valued inclusion in Daniel's department. That was before he had been captured by Nirti. Now he was a shell. A shell of a man who had been destroyed, and was now about to be shipped back to mental health. What a waste.

"Let's get the crash cart in!" Janet's urgent voiced broke the atmosphere and personnel came running from all directions. The curtain round bed one was pulled across.

Brett Atkins. Airman Brett Atkins. Aged 21.

They young airman had lain critically ill in the ICU for nearly two weeks now, the poison flowing through is veins slowly destroying him. It had been a slow, painful process. He was one of Reynolds' boys. Jack listened as Janet and her staff fought to save his life.

"Clear."

Clunk.

"Clear."

Clunk.

Nothing.

Silence.

"Come on. Come on. Fight this, Brett!"

"Charging again."

"Clear."

Clunk.

Silence.

"Anything?"

"No output, Ma'am."

Silence.

Flat line tone.

"Time of death…"

Jack closed his eyes and let one tear fall. He tightened his hold on Daniel's hand. There would be no more dying tonight. Not if there was a breath left in his body.

xxx

Major Carter, may I join you?"

Sam looked up and smiled as Teal'c bowed a greeting.

"Of course you can, Teal'c"

She passed him a cup of coffee and took a sip of her own

"Are there any developments?" Teal'c asked looking around.

"No, not since the second MALP was destroyed. The Unas are still there – odd – they don't seem to need sleep."

Each watch had reported that the 'beasts' had remained alert and vigilant all night, barely letting their guard down. Sam had taken over watch just before dawn and had watched the sun rise through the binoculars, never taking her eye off the Stargate, waiting and hoping for activity from the SGC. Colonel Reynolds reported a second MALP had appeared at 3am earth time and was duly pounced on and destroyed by the Unas, since then there had been no sign of life from the 'gate' and no sign of the Unas retreating. It was well and truly a stalemate now.

"There must be a way out of this," Sam exclaimed tipping the dregs of her coffee out on the fire. "I can't accept that we just sit here and do nothing. I wish Colonel O'Neill was here."

"As do I, Major," Teal'c replied. "But as he is not, we do not have any choice but to resume this vigil until it is safe."

Sam stood, dusted herself off, and picked up the binoculars once more.

"I wish Daniel was here," she mumbled to herself as she watched the clearing once more. At least Daniel may have been able to communicate with them, reason with them, and find a way out of this mess.

Teal'c stood and joined his teammate. "The SGC will be working on a strategy," he assured Sam.

"I know that, but I am afraid we are running out of time."

xxx

"How is Doctor Jackson this morning, Doctor Fraiser?"

"No change, sir," Janet replied solemnly.

George Hammond looked over the report of last night's activity.

"I called this briefing to discuss our next step forward. As you know SG-3 are now confirmed as 'missing in action.' They have missed two check in's now and two MALPs have been destroyed. I do not have clearance to dispatch a third. The threat of enemy attack is too great to risk another SG team. We are running out of options. Suggestions people?"

Jack sighed and scrubbed a tired hand through his hair. This was not an acceptable situation.

"The Tokra? The Nox? The Asgard?" He asked not looking up from his coffee cup which he was staring dejectedly in.

"All contacted, Jack. Jacob is aware, but not in range at the moment. The Asgard have not responded to our calls and The Nox are sitting on the fence…"

"As usual," Jack mumbled to himself.

"We are doing all we can son," George tried to placate.

Jack stood up and walked to briefing room window and watched the hustle bustle of the control room below – it was a stark contrast to the stillness of the ICU. He rested his weary head against the glass and watched as a team returned from a mission, all laughing and joking, backs were slapped and the whole room echoed with their garbled excited claims. It was true - life went on.

"How long Doc?" He whispered, not wanting to ask the question out loud. He didn't want to know.

"I'm sorry, sir?" Janet answered, not sure if she had heard correctly.

Jack slowly turned; head bowed and hands in pockets. "How long does he have?" He asked cocking his head to one side and giving her a tight smile.

Janet cleared her throat. This was one question she didn't want to answer, but she had a responsibility, not only to Daniel, but to those who cared about him.

"We can sustain him on life support indefinitely." She cleared her throat again and took a sip of water before continuing. "But, I cannot guarantee he would come out of such a lengthy intubation period 'intact'".

"Intact?"

"Yes, sir, there is an increased risk of brain damage the longer someone stays on life support." She drained the remainder of the water and placed the glass back on the table, rubbing the condensation that trickled down the tumbler away with her fingers. Head bowed she did not make eye contact with either of the men.

Jack slumped back in his chair and closed his eyes.

Silence enveloped the room. All three were lost in their own thoughts until the General picked up the file in front of him and gave a small cough.

"Right. I think we need some time to reassess the situation. I'll schedule another meeting back here in five hours. That will give the Asgard and Jacob more time. Let's not make any hasty decisions at this stage. I'll contact the Pentagon again and see if I can change their mind about another MALP." He stood and placed the file under his arm.

"Get some rest. That's an order." He smiled at the two exhausted, hunched over figures in front of him, both turned their heads and gave him sad smiles.

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Dismissed."


	8. Chapter 8

"Lower your weapons."

"Major?"

"Do as I say."

Sam raised her arms in surrender.

"We are not here to hurt you," she said trying to placate the snarling Unas in front of them.

"Kel."

The rest of the team slowly lowered there guns and bowed their heads out of respect.

"Kel?" The Unas repeated, twitching and snorting his body in constant motion. The team had dug themselves in, eyes trained on the pack or Unas at the 'gate, watching and waiting for a moment to advance. A rustle in the undergrowth saw them come face to face with an alpha male who was clearly injured. Green blood trickled down his arm and splattered on the ground, and all the while he addressed them he was clearly distracted by the wound.

Sam held here arms up again.

"Please. We are friends" She linked her hands together as a sign of friendship.

"Ka!" The Unas took one step forward as if he was going to reach out but scurried backwards when he saw Teal'c. He pointed at the Jaffa's stomach.

"Onac?" He growled. "Onac?"

"Onac? No, no – friend." She held Teal'c's hand and placed it on her heart. "Friend."

The Unas cocked his head to one side.

"Frrrr" He tried to repeat the word. "Frrr"

"Yes, yes – Frrr – friend." Sam tried to make him understand – wishing so much that Daniel was by her side.

"Ka nay. Ka nay." The Unas moved forward and reached out to Sam's arm when he noticed the patch on her sleeve.

"Ka nay – Ka nay. Danyel?"

"Yes. Yes. Danyel!" Sam placed her hand over her SG-1 patch and moved forward. "Danyel – friend." She smiled at the Unas.

"Major?" Reynolds's cautionary voice called out. Sam answered without taking her eye off the Unas in front of her.

"It's okay, sir. I think this is, Chaka – the alpha male Daniel be-friended."

The Una's tapped his chest.

"Chaka. Chaka," he confirmed. "Frrend."

"Yes, Chaka, friend," Sam agreed with a smile. "Danyel, friend." She nodded.

"Ka nay. Ma Kan."

"Ka nay." Sam nodded back. She pointed at Chaka's arm, at the green blood oozing from the wound.

"Chaka hurt? Um? Oww?" She rubbed her own arm and winced. Chaka touched his wound and snorted.

"Kreeka, kreeka."

"Hurt? Kreeka?"

"Ka, Kreeka." Chaka pulled his injured arm into his chest and looked around.

"Danyel?" He asked, obviously looking for his friend. "Danyel?" He repeated looking straight at Sam. She snapped a low line branch off a bush and drew a circle in the mud and tapped at it.

"Danyel, Chappa'ai. Stargate." She pointed at he surrounded gate. "Danyel, hurt. Kreeka."

Chaka looked at drawing and then at the gate.

"Danyel, Kreeka?"

"Yes, hurt. Can you help? Um?" She pointed at the team and then at the gate.

"Danyel needs friends, needs Ma Ka nay."

Chaka grabbed his arm in pain once more. Sam inched forward.

"Teal'c? Pass me the med kit please?" She urged.

"Chaka, Kreeka. I can help." She looked at him for permission and when he nodded she reached in her bag and pulled out the med kit and a swab. The kit to patch him up and the swab to take a blood sample back for Janet. In no time she had cleaned and treated the wound. Chaka rotated his arm and gave Sam a curt nod of thanks.

"Ka." He bowed slightly. Sam returned the bow.

"You're welcome," she smiled.

Chaka patted his bandaged wound.

"Danyel, Kreeka?"

"Yes. Ka," Sam confirmed again. Chaka pointed at the Stargate and then pointed at Sam.

"Ma ka – Danyel?"

"Yes, yes," Sam answered and pointed back at the Stargate.

Chaka nodded and made his way to the gate.

Sam watched him go and then smiled at the team.

"Looks like we may be going home."

"Indeed," Teal'c confirmed as they watched Chaka confront the pack of Unas in front of the gate. Recognizing the alpha male, the Unas retreated, leaving Chaka to motion SG-3 towards the 'gate.

"Well done, Major," Reynolds praised picking up his pack. "Okay – let's head out," he ordered.

"Think the Doc maybe waiting for us."

"Yes sir," they all replied in unison, huge grins on their faces.

They were going home and not a time too soon.

Xxx

"Sorry sir. Don't move, I didn't mean to disturb you."

Senior nurse Carrie Elliott squeezed through the small gab between Jack's chair and the med's trolley. Jack had been a sleep at Daniel's bedside for a couple of hours and up until now the nurses had been able to work around him but an alarm on Daniel's IV stand had just gone off.

"Wha?" Jack looked around blearily. "Oh sorry." He pulled his chair in closer to give the nurse easier access.

"It's okay." Carrie grinned. "Need to keep off the cream cakes." She joked as she inspected the read out box.

"Everything okay?" Jack asked when he noticed the alarm.

Carrie reached and turned it off and proceeded to change the nutrition bottle.

"No change, sir, Daniel just needs feeding." She chuckled at her own joke. Being a key nurse in an Intensive Care Unit was a hard job, demanding and pressured. A good outcome was not something that was always expected once a patient needed life support and the sort of care Daniel was getting. Any light relief was welcome, and Janet had trained her staff to be up beat and positive – to find a way to put family and colleagues at ease during what could be a long stressful stay.

She replaced the empty glass bottle with a new, full one, carefully making sure the nasal-gastric tubing was kink free and that the white liquid flowing as it should.

"We call it 'steak and fries," Carrie continued with a smile walking behind Daniel's bed checking lines as she went. She took a pen out of her top pocket and wrote Daniel's vitals on the white board.

Jack stood, stretched, and yawned. He worked the kinks out of his neck, falling asleep at a bedside was never good news but he had been so exhausted. He made his way and stood next to Carrie as she filled in Daniel's huge chart.

"Does this make any sense to you?" He asked as he stared at all the figures and diagrams. To him it looked like one of Daniel's power point presentations.

"Of course, sir," Carrie chuckled and pointed at the intricate graphs. "These are logging and tracking Doctor Jackson's ventilator levels and these," she said pointing at the short handwriting that could have been written in Ancient for all Jack knew, "are his drug regimes."

Jack nodded in understanding as Carrie made notes on the white board.

"What's with the white board?" Jack asked leaning back on the railings on Daniel's bed.

"Don't 'ya use the charts anymore?"

Carrie turned and faced him.

"No – not in the ICU, sir. We have different policies here. Because each patient needs one to one nursing, as their condition is critical, this way is clearer. Any nurse or doctor can just look at the board and know instantly how the patient is doing. Doctor Fraiser or Doctor Warner can sit at their station, and at just a glance, can see any update. Sure we have the computer system which is wonderful but most Doc's like both, like Doc Fraiser – I'm sure you notice that she will always place a hand on a patients forehead to check for fever, or manually take it with a thermometer even though there will be a computerised read out in front of her – well – she likes the 'hands on' version of medical care, and I suppose this board is 'hands on' as well. Sort of a double check."

Jack looked down at Daniel who, apart from a tube down his throat, looked for all the world as if he was sleeping.

"So what does the 'hands on' version say?" He asked taking Daniel's limp hand in his hand.

Carrie placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"It's saying that he is holding his own at the moment and that is the best we can ask for."

Jack nodded slowly. "Kay," he whispered in acknowledgement.

"Sir? Why don't you go get some rest? There is going to be no change for a while."

"In a bit." He turned and gave Carrie a tight smile. "Just need to stay a while longer."

Carrie returned the smile.

"Okay," she conceded and pointed to the nurse's station where the other ICU nurse's were beavering away on the computers. "I'll be over there if you need me."

"Try and get some rest, sir."

"I will."

Xxx

Walter Harriman sat at his normal seat. This was his domain. Here he felt 'king of the castle' – he knew the Stargate inside and out – he knew exactly what each button or lever did, this was his world and his world carried on no matter what. The atmosphere inside the SGC had been strained these past couple of weeks – lurching from fear and worry when Doctor Jackson had been reported captured. Then the holding of breath as two SG teams were dispatched on a recon mission, not knowing if they would find the young archaeologist alive or not. Shortly after the relief of having him home, and relatively in one piece, was tinged with the overall sadness and grief for the SGC lives that were lost. Still the black cloud hung over the mountain. The memorial services were in the process of being organised when Daniel had fallen critically ill, and now there was a team stuck on a hostile planet struggling to get home. With their fate still uncertain, Walter wondered this meant for Daniel who was desperately in need of a cure.

Nodding his thanks he accepted a mug of steaming coffee from a junior airman. "Thanks Aston." He smiled a tired smile.

"Anything yet, sir?"

"No. Nothing."

Walter had been at his post for over twenty-four hours now trying to send out constant signals to SG-3 but to no avail. He would stay here as long as necessary. Keeping a light on.


	9. Chapter 9

"Thank you." Sam bowed in gratitude to Chaka when the team reached the gate. Chaka bowed back.

"Danyel?" He pointed at the gate.

"Yes, Danyel," Sam smiled back and Chaka bowed and smiled once more.

"Major, the IDC has been sent and we're ready to head home," Reynolds called from the DHD.

Sam gave Chaka a parting smile before turning towards the gate.

"Thank you."

Xxx

"Off world activation!"

Klaxons rang out through the base waking Jack up. He sat up bleary eyed and confused after having fallen asleep at Daniel's bed – again.

The emergency phone at the nurse's station rang and Janet Fraiser ran to pick it up.

"Yes. Yes, sir. Yes, sir, he is. On our way."

She hurried over to Jack.

"Its SG-3, sir," she told him with a huge smile on her face.

"Go, go, go," Jack, urged as they both sped towards the control room.

xxx

"So, now what?" Jack asked impatiently.

SG-3 had been welcomed home as heroes and Janet and her team had wasted no time testing the samples the team had collected. They were now gathered around Daniel's bed as Janet administered what they hoped to be the right combination of antibiotics for his pneumonia.

"Now, we wait and see, just like we have been," she told the worried faces around her. "Nothing has changed but hopefully, now we have been able to identify the parasite causing the infection, it looks like we have a glimmer of hope."

She flicked the plastic tubing that was feeding Daniel the much needed treatment, making sure there were no air bubbles and the medication was flowing at the correct speed.

"Sam, it's a good job you got the sample from the Unas." She turned and smiled. "That was the last piece of the jig saw for the lab."

"Yeah. Way to go Carter, "Jack agreed. Having conducted the debrief while Janet and her staff had done their work, he had recognized how difficult it must have been for the team to be stuck with no way to get home. Daniel would be so proud of how Sam had communicated with Chaka.

"Good job, mind you Danny boy here is not gonna be happy when he hears that you stole his thunder."

"It was my pleasure," Sam beamed. "He'd do it for me."

"He'd do it for anyone," Jack replied brushing Daniel's bangs out of his eyes. "So, we wait. How long?" He turned and asked Janet who, in turn, sighed. Jack O'Neill was not a patient man at the best of times but when it concerned Daniel – well – he was a pain in the butt.

"As long as it takes, sir. This is not an over night cure, you know that. We'll monitor him closely and all being well – and I mean – all being well, I'll try and reduce his sedation over the next few days as long as his lungs respond to treatment. The next step will be to reduce his dependence the ventilator. Nothing will be rushed, and we go at Daniel's pace. Best case scenario is that maybe this time next week we will be able to have him on a Traci…"

"What?" Jack's face fell. "Not off the ventilator?"

Janet shook her head.

"No, sir, well, that is baring any intervention by the Asgard, Daniel will be too weak to come straight off ventilation. This will be a step down as well as a step forward. He'll be able to eat and drink and be awake enough to communicate though not verbally. I will not take him off oxygen until I know he can cope without it. The last thing I want to do is have to re-intubate him, and the risk with this sort of infection is high"

She rubbed Jack's arm in sympathy.

"I know it is not what you want to hear, Jack, but we have to take it slow. Don't forget he has no immune system. These drugs will only deal with the infection. When that is clear we will administer some quite toxic drugs to boost his blood counts, these are drugs used for Cancer patients when the immune system is shot. The side effects are very unpleasant and may affect his breathing. Trust me on this one, sir."

Jack nodded and smiled.

"Don't we always, Doc," he replied sheepishly.

"Good. Now, vamoose, all of you. We have work to do."

xxx

"Sir? The memorial starts in half an hour."

Sam poked her head round the closed curtains of Daniel's ICU bed. She coughed quietly to get Jack's attention who had his head stuck in a book and was scribbling madly in a note pad balanced on his knee.

"Sir"? Sam called again as she took a step forward to Daniel's bedside. Jack looked up.

"What? Oh sorry, Carter, just gotta finish this," he told her with a sad smile as she peered over his shoulder.

"Is that Daniel's diary?" She asked recognizing the worn brown leather-bound cover of the journal they had bought him the previous Christmas.

"Um, yeah." Jack replied sheepishly.

"Don't think he'll be very happy when he knows you've been going through it while he was unconscious," she light heatedly scolded. "You know what he's like." Sam smiled and placed a comforting hand on Jack's shoulder and gave a slight squeeze.

Jack turned his head and looked up into her clear blue eyes.

"I need his words," he told her with a sigh.

"Oh?"

Jack carefully shut the priceless book.

"Yeah, wanted to do Rothman justice… wanted to do Daniel justice," he admitted, placing the notepad into the top pocket of his dress uniform.

"And have you?" Sam asked as Jack placed the diary back on Daniel's bedside table.

He nodded. "I think I have. Daniel thought a lot of the guy and as he's not able to be there in public, the least I can do is be his voice," he told her with a sad smile.

Sam nodded back in agreement.

"I think that is very nice, sir, and I am sure Daniel will appreciate it."

She moved forward and took her sick teammates hand in her's and gently rubbed the back of it.

"How's he doing today?" She asked quietly, almost dreading to know the answer. It had been along week, waiting, hoping – praying that the antibiotics would work. SG-1 had taken it in turn sitting with the stricken man, hoping that their presence would give him the strength that he needed to fight for his life.

"Doc's pleased with him," Jack told her and placed his arm around her shoulders.

"Really?" She asked as she turned tear filled eyes to her CO.

"Yup. Really. Fever is low grade; lungs are clearing, blood results promising. She has been reducing his sedation over night and will review him while we are at the ceremony. There is talk that he might be tube free by tonight."

Sam beamed.

"That's, that's, - that's great, s-sir," she stuttered as she brushed away a lone tear that escaped her eyes as it trickled down her cheek.

Jack nodded and pulled her in for a firmer hug.

"He's stronger than anyone gives him credit for," he said with a touch of pride in his voice.

"He sure is," Sam chuckled as she brushed Daniels too long fringe from his forehead, happy to note that his skin, although warmer than it should be, no longer burned with fever.

"Right. Come on, Major." Jack straightened up. "We've got a ceremony to go to. Mustn't keep 'em waiting," he told her with a smile.

"Yes sir." Sam saluted back, beaming from ear to ear.

"Ladies first," Jack said opening the curtain. He watched Sam go and then turned to Daniel. He lent over the bed and cupped his lovers face in his hand and gently rubbed his thumb up and down the two-day growth of stubble.

"I'll be back later," he whispered, "Just carry on doing what you're doing. Sorry you're gonna miss the memorial. I know that you would want to be there and I know that you will be there, in spirit, but I'll be your voice. I won't let you or Rothman down I promise." He lent over further and placed a gentle kiss on Daniel's forehead.

"Just behave and don't give the nurses a hard time," he said and then whispered in his ear. "I love you."

He straightened the covers that Daniel had kicked off as the sedation wore slowly off, his legs were now in almost constant action – a sight that made Jacks heart sore.

"See you later, Doctor Jackson," he said as he backed away from the bed, closing the curtains behind him, hoping the next time he saw his soul mate he would be minus one breathing tube.

Jack made his way to the control room, his heart a little lighter


	10. Chapter 10

Five days later Daniel was tube free but still attached to the ventilator via a tracheotomy. As Janet had advised, he was still no where near strong enough to breath on his own, though the signs were good that he was making a slow but sure recovery. She had warned that it was going to be a slow, slow process. Gentle steps.

Thing was – Jack O'Neill didn't do slow. The elation he felt after the memorial service – when he was called to the ICU to be told the good news – was wearing off now. Daniel had slept on and off for most of the past few days, waking for only minutes before succumbing to exhaustion once more. The good thing was hat he was aware when he did surface, so Janet's fear of brain damage had, thankfully, lessened.

Jack was getting impatient. Janet and Carrie had assured him that sleep was the best thing for Daniel. Sleep meant healing but Jack wanted signs, he wanted to 'see' first hand that his lover was going to be okay – hell, he wanted Daniel to 'tell' him that he was fine.

He made his way to Daniels curtained off bed, bang on zero eight hundred hours, as he had always done, everyday, it was routine now. He pulled back the curtains and took a deep breath, preparing himself for the normal boring shift of sitting and watching Daniel sleep. Today though…

"Hey!" He beamed as he took in the sight of Daniel actually 'sitting' out of bed. "Look whose up."

Daniel gave him a tentative wave with his IV free hand.

"And it looks like someone's been eating and drinking." Jack smiled and picked up the half empty cup off Daniel's rollaway table.

"Coffee?" He asked with raised eyebrows and twinkle in his eye. Daniel shrugged tiredly in acknowledgement.

Jack sat in the chair next to him and picked up his hand.

"Great to see you out of bed," he said giving the hand a reassuring squeeze. Daniel managed to smile back. Jack rubbed his arm.

"How ya doing?" He asked tenderly.

"'Kay." Daniel mouthed back. The tracheotomy stole his voice but he did have the freedom to be able to communicate at some level.

"That's great, Danny." Jack smiled back. "Looks like you've got some color back in those cheeks of yours," he told him tenderly. Daniel nodded slowly.

"Hey, did you do this?" Jack asked picking up the notepad that was left on t e table in reach of Daniel. The page was littered with Daniel's writing.

'Where's Jack? Time is it? Tired. Bed.'

The writing was scribbled and barely readable but it was Daniel communicating. Daniel nodded slowly again.

"Way to go," Jack praise and rubbed his knee. "Nice stockings by the way" he teased. "Real passion killers"

Daniel rolled his eyes and tugged down on his gown. The dreaded anti embolism stockings were uncomfortable but a necessity to ward against blood clots.

Daniel tapped Jacks hand to get his attention.

"Tired," he mouthed. "Bed?" He pleaded looking longingly at his bed.

"What? Oh. Hang on." Jack beckoned Carrie over.

"Daniel's tired. Can he get a hand back to bed?"

Carrie altered a setting on Daniel's stand.

"You've only been out of bed five minutes, Doctor Jackson. Just a bit longer. You know the physio say's it's the best thing for your lungs."

"Oh. The physio's been round?" Jack asked and tapped Daniel's knee. "You didn't say," he stated with a smile.

"Oh yes," Carrie answered for Daniel. "Gave you a good work out didn't they?" She teased light-heatedly. "Got a lot of gunk out of your lungs."

"That's great, Danny, just great," Jack praised again. Daniel rolled his eyes again and sighed.

"Tired," he mouthed again, head dropping to his chest.

"Just a bit longer," Jack reassured him as Daniel closed his eyes.

"Do you want a drink?" Jack offered. "All this talking must make you thirsty." He joked. Daniel shook his head.

"Stop that." Jack scolded, placing his hand on Daniels knee to stop the constant jiggling of his legs.

Daniel sighed again. "Bed," he pleaded.

Jack returned his sigh. "Soon," he placated.

Daniel tried to get into a more comfortable position but it triggered a coughing fit. As Jack tried to soothe him, Carrie came scurrying over.

"Easy, easy, Daniel."

She kept her tone comforting as Daniel struggled to breath.

"Keep it calm. You know the drill," she urged stripping the wrapper off a suction tube. Uncapping the Tracy end and inserting the long tube down through the apparatus and into Daniels lung. Carrie switched on the suction; the action and sound not making only Daniel gag but Jack as well.

"You're doing great," she praised as the machine removed a sizable volume of gunk from Daniels lungs.

When Daniel stopped gagging she switched off the machine and disposed of the probe. Snapping off her gloves, she fetched a cloth and washed Daniel's sweat soaked face as he sat panting from his excursion.

"Well done. I know, I know – that's not pleasant," she soothed again. "You did great."

"Yeah you sure did," Jack joined in the praise, rubbing his lover's arm to try and help calm him.

Daniel tried to swallow but mouthed "Ow"

"Is your mouth bothering you, Daniel?" Carrie asked when she noticed his discomfort.

Daniel nodded, still panting for breath.

"Hold on I'll get your treatment."

"Nurse?" Jack asked as Carrie reached for some cotton swabs and a sachet of clear fluid.

"Oh – Doctor Jackson has thrush caused by the ventilator," she replied as she started to swab Daniel's sore mouth. She cleaned out his mouth a much as she could, squeezed a vial of Nystan into his mouth, and finished off by smearing petroleum jelly around his dry lips.

"Better?" She asked with a smile.

Daniel managed to mouth 'yeah' between gasps of air.

"Just catch your breath and I'll go and get Bernard. Get you back to bed, hey?" She promised with a smile.

"Too much excitement for one day I bet," she continued as she fetched the winch from the nurse's station and beckoned the orderly over.

"Would you mind stepping out sir?" She asked Jack. "I'll fetch you when he's comfortable."

Jack patted Daniels knee.

"Yeah, sure, no problem, I'll just be outside," he told Daniel who was still struggling to take a breath.

"Okay?"

Daniel nodded and Jack ruffled his hair.

"Good lad."

Xxx

"Hey, Jack"

George Hammond took a seat next to his 2IC who was sat outside the ICU waiting to go back in and take his place next to the SGC senior archaeologist's bed.

"Sir."

"How's he doing today?" George asked surprised to see Jack 'outside' the room.

"Oh, better-," Jack smiled "ish."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. He's been out of bed for a while but still struggling with the cough. They're just getting him comfortable again."

"Sounds like he's going the right way now."

"Fingers crossed, sir, fingers crossed."

"Colonel O'Neill?" Carrier stuck her head around the door. "You can come back in now sir," she stated with a smile. "Don't stay too long though. He's very sleepy."

Jack turned and nodded his thanks.

"Jack – tell Daniel I've been asking about him and I'll pop and see him later."

"Will do, sir," Jack replied and made his way back to Daniel's bed.

"Is that better, Daniel?" Janet asked smoothing out his blankets. Daniel nodded sleepily. Janet turned to Jack.

"Just a minute, sir. He's exhausted.," she advised with a tired smile.

"Okay," Jack replied pulling up his trusty familiar seat. He reached and took Daniel's hand and smiled tenderly at him when the sleepy man's eyes fluttered open to acknowledge his presence.

"Shh. Close your eyes. I'll stay until you are sleeping," he promised as Daniel returned the smile as his eyes shut once more.


	11. Chapter 11

Daniel made steady progress over the next few days. He spent longer times out of bed and started to eat and drink more. Janet started to disconnect some of his IV's the stronger he got. First the neo-gastric tube, then the fluids, and, as Daniel began to gain enough strength to take a few steps – aided by either Jack, herself or Carrie, the catheter disappeared. Finally, two weeks after being admitted to the ICU Daniel was able to breath on his own, with the aid of a nasal cannular in the day and oxygen at night. Things were looking much brighter.

"Hey," Sam greeted him brightly as she breezed into the ICU.

"Hi, Sam," Daniel croaked back, looking up from a magazine he was barely concentrating on. He swallowed uncomfortably, his hand massaging his sore throat.

Sam perched on his bed and handed him a glass of water.

"Thanks," Daniel whispered taking a long drink, the cool water soothing his throat.

"A little bird tells me that you're being sprung from here today," Sam enthused replacing the beaker back on his table.

Daniel nodded. "Yeah. Back to my 'normal' bed in the infirmary," he grouched. "I just wanna go home."

"Hey – you want some cheese with that whine?" Sam teased playfully and Daniel huffed and folded his arms.

"Come on, Daniel," Sam urged. "You know as well as I do that ain't gonna happen. Time, give yourself time. You've still got a way to go," she soothed and rubbed his leg under the blankets.

"I know," he admitted begrudgingly. "I'm just…"

"Fed up?" Sam interrupted. Daniel nodded. "Bored?" She pressed on.

"Yeah," he admitted ruefully.

"Well," Sam started. "I'm here to rectify that," she smiled.

Daniel lifted his head. "Oh?"

"Yup. Just came from a meeting with General Hammond where Colonel O'Neill argued the case, very well may I add, that we should try and 'study' Chaka. Try and track him, learn from him." She smiled and nodded at Daniel as his eyebrows arched in surprise.

"He did?" Daniel did a very good impression of a guppy fish!

"Yeah, he did." Sam grinned. "He asked me to ask you, if you feel up to it, if you could come up with some sort of plan?"

Daniel still sat opened mouthed until Sam nudged him.

"Daniel?"

"What? Oh. Yeah. Sure." He beamed and then scratched his head. "Not really sure where to start."

Sam reached behind her and pulled out…

Daniel's laptop.

"Here. Just for short periods – Janet's orders. Might keep you out of trouble for a while," she teased ruffling Daniel's hair.

"Wow. That's um? Wow. Thanks, Sam." He grabbed her hand and pulled her in for a hug.

"You're very welcome," Sam whispered into his ear. "Chaka is remarkable," she admitted with a giggle and pulled out of the embrace. Daniel kept hold of her hand.

"And you did a wonderful job," he told her sincerely. "I've read your report. I'm so proud of you," he admitted with a huge smile.

"I've learnt from the best." She ruffled his hair again and he ducked his head in embarrassment.

She straightened up.

"Right gotta go. Have fun. Not too long. See what you can up with." She grinned.

"Yeah, thank you."

"My pleasure."

Xx

Daniel was moved to the main infirmary that afternoon and spent the next couple of days either sleeping or working on his submission to the General. He wanted the SGC agreement to set up a camera on Chaka's world where he would leave the Unas little tit bits to tempt them so they could be filmed. He banked on Chaka's enjoyment of the chocolate bars they shared in the caves. He just needed the General's go ahead.

Though Janet was pleased with his progress – his pneumonia had responded well to the antibiotic regime – his overall blood work was still not good. His immune system was not reacting a quickly as it was supposed to – even with the good diet and rest Daniel was getting. She knew that unless he was given a drug induced immune boost he would be still wide open to any and all infections, and given his weakened condition, he may not be able to fight off another one.

After allowing him a few more days to recover from his illness she started him on a triple therapy via an IV. A drug to boost both his white and red blood cells and another to increase his platelets. The first couple of days Daniel tolerated the treatment well but now, judging by the shaking mound of blankets, the side effects were kicking in. She sighed and shook his shoulder gently; Daniel stared at her with fever bright eyes. She sat on his bed and took his hand.

"Hey sweetie." She smiled gently. "Drugs kicking in now?" Daniel nodded and shivered.

"Let's have a look see, okay?"

"C-cold," he complained burrowing into his blankets further. She placed her hand on his hot forehead.

"Fever," she stated sadly, knowing too well the main side effect of the Figrasim. "What else?" She asked inserting a thermometer into his ear.

"Feel sick, achy, headache," Daniel admitted closing his eyes tightly shut.

The thermometer beeped.

"102," Janet informed him as she gently ran her fingers through his stringy sweat soaked hair. "I can do something about that okay?"

"Um." Daniel nodded covering his eyes.

Janet went to the nurse's station and retrieved some fever and sickness reducing medication and a suppository for his pain. She drew the curtain around Daniel's bed and proceeded to inject the medication into his IV. Nurse Dawn O'Leary came and helped her to set up another IV to give him fluids, and the re started a Foley catheter, much to Daniel's mortification.

"It's just for a few days, Daniel." Janet assured the stricken man. "Let's give the treatment time to work. You're going to be pretty ill – trips to the bathroom are going to be out of the question," she placated. "I'm just going to turn you over and give you a suppository for your joint pain," she told him as she and Dawn worked as a team to administer the medication.

"There," she stated pulling the blankets up round his shoulders. "All done. I know it's hard but try and rest. The medication will kick in soon I promise." She turned to Dawn.

"Could you please get Doctor Jackson set up with a continual blood pressure pump? I want a close eye on his blood pressure."

"Yes, ma'am," Dawn agreed and scurried off to fetch the equipment.

"Daniel?" Janet rubbed the suffering man's arm.

"Um," he replied not trusting himself to talk as vertigo and nausea hit him in waves.

"I'm going to get Colonel O'Neill to come and sit with you – Okay?"

Daniel nodded and groaned.

"Hang in there," Janet soothed

Xx

"Hey Doc," Jack greeted as he marched into the infirmary. "You wanted me?"

Janet beckoned him into her office.

"Yes," she stated with a tight smile.

"Daniel?" He asked nervously when he saw the worried look on her face.

"The side effects are kicking in hard today. I think he would appreciate a friendly face at his bed side."

Jack sighed wearily and looked out of Janet's office window at Daniel. He could see the restless movement of the sick man.

"Can I do anything for him?" He asked shoving his hands in his pockets.

"I'm afraid not. He is getting some medication to try and control the main effects but unfortunately he is going to have to ride this out for a few days. I'm sure your usual support will be appreciated."

"That goes without saying," he replied with a sad smile.

"I've informed the General of the situation, sir, and he told me to tell you that you have as much time as you or Daniel needs."

"Thanks, Doc." Jack smiled and turned to leave the office. "Think there is a chair with my name on it – again."

"Anything you need just ask. I'm here all night."

Jack nodded and made his way to Daniel's bed

xxx

Daniel felt truly awful. Hot, cold, uncomfortable, in pain, nauseous, dizzy, thumping headache. No matter what he did he could not get comfortable, could not sleep. He had tossed and turned since Janet had seen him last, not understanding why the medication she had administered had not helped much, wondering how he would feel if she hadn't have given him the medication. He moaned in misery as another hot wave of nausea washed over him.

"Easy, Danny," a familiar voice soothed. Daniel risked opening his eyes only to shut them tightly as the room span around him.

"J'ck?"

"Yeah." Jack sighed and pulled up a chair, his hand on Daniel's shoulder in an attempt to ground him.

"You look crap," Jack observed with a chuckle, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"Thanks," Daniel whispered, licking his lips tightly and squeezing his eyes shut. He groaned in pain as his headache intensified.

"Lights hurting?" Jack asked, lent over and turned the overhead light off when Daniel nodded slightly.

"Try and sleep," Jack urged.

"Cant," Daniel moaned. "Feel too awful," he admitted flinging an arm over his eyes.

"Just relax. Listen to my calming voice. Try and meditate like Teal'c taught you."

"Um."

Daniel rolled his head from side to side, feeling wretched. "Hard," he complained biting back another moan.

He felt Jacks fingers in his hair, massaging his temples so he concentrated on the familiar sensation. Jack kept his voice low and reassuring.

"Don't speak, Danny, just shh, calm, relax, let you self go. There. Shh," Jack soothed keeping up the massage. "The drugs will kick in soon, Doc says you've just gotta ride this out okay?"

"'Kay – try," Daniel mumbled.

"Good boy."


	12. Chapter 12

Eventually Daniel slept. So did Jack.

The sound of the blood pressure cuff finally pulled Jack out of his slumber. He yawned, stretched and smiled at Janet.

"How's he doing?" He asked as Janet took Daniel's pulse.

"Still sleeping," she told him, entering the figures on the chart at the end of the bed.

Jack looked around and stretched again.

"How long?" He asked smothering another yawn.

"About three hours now." Janet smiled. "Temps still high but at least he getting some rest now."

"He looked awful."

"Yes, I'm sure he felt awful. The side effects are quite nasty."

"So. He's gonna be okay though?" Jack asked. He hated to see Daniel so ill.

"It's going to be a tough few days for him, but he's getting the right treatment."

"Good, good."

"Listen, why don't you get an SG-1 rota going? Its gonna be a bumpy road for a while," Janet suggested as she gave Daniel another dose of fever reducer.

"Ah. Carter and Teal'c are off world at the moment setting up Daniel's Unas camera as a surprise," he informed her with a smile.

Janet smiled back and double-checked Daniel's readouts.

"He'll be pleased," she stated placing another blanket over the sick archaeologist as he began to shiver in his sleep. She turned to Jack.

"Okay then. You go and get some proper rest. I'll be here all night. He'll need you later – fully rested."

Jack scrubbed his tired eyes. He was absolutely shattered. Weeks and weeks of worry and long sleepless nights were really taking a toll now.

"What if he needs me in the night though?" He asked, loathed to leave his lover when he was so ill.

"Well, he'll have to do with sloppy seconds." Janet chuckled. "You are in no fit state at the moment and I do believe I have a medical degree knocking around somewhere. If he gets too distressed I'll contact you," she added seriously.

Jack nodded and raised his hands in surrender. The thought of a comfortable bed for his aching bones was too much to resist at the moment.

"I'll be in VIP room 3 – page me."

"Go," Janet ordered smiling.

"Yes sir." Jack saluted

Xxx

Awful nightmares and grotesque images pulled Daniel from his restless sleep. His head pounded, his stomach rolled. The heat was unbearable.

He reached out his hand for his lover.

"J'ck?" He groaned.

No reply.

He risked opening an eye. The chair was empty.

"J'ck?" He called again, his head lolling from side to side in absolute misery. Still nothing. His stomach rolled again, he panted quickly, trying desperately to keep the nausea at bay.

"G-d," he moaned, trying to ease his aching body up on shaky arms.

"Janet," he called, rocking backwards and forth, head hanging loosely between his arms.

"Janet?" He shouted, wincing at the loudness of his own voice. He tried to pull his legs up to his stomach to smoother the awful cramps.

"Thank G-d," he moaned again at the comforting sound of Doctor Fraiser's clipping shoes as she hurried to his side, pulling the curtains round behind her.

"Daniel?" She asked as she tried to support him as his arms threatened to give way.

"Gonna be sick," he managed to grind out as he began to dry heave.

"Hang on," she urged reaching for an emesis bowl. Too late. Daniel vomited over and over again.

"Ah. It's okay, honey," she soothed as she finally managed to get the bowl in the right positions.

"It's okay."

Daniel hung over the bowl, groaning and spitting as his stomach finally settled. He flopped back totally exhausted, his head falling to one side.

Janet opened the curtains and whispered to Dawn. It was early morning now and the rest of the patients were fast a sleep.

"Dawn? Can you get me some fresh sheets and gown for Doctor Jackson, and some warm soapy water and a cloth? Oh and – Compazine, 10mg IV push?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Janet turned back to Daniel and flicked the overhead light on. Daniel winched and moaned as the light hit his sensitive retinas.

"Sorry, Daniel," Janet soothed. "We've gotta clean you up." She smiled gently.

"S-orry," Daniel stuttered when he saw the mess.

"Shush. It's okay. Feeling better?"

"Bit," he admitted, closing his eyes again. "Where's Jack?"

"Asleep, hopefully," Janet replied beginning to strip the bed. "It's five in the morning."

"'Kay," Daniel replied, scrubbing his hand through his hair. "He looked tired. I feel awful," he admitted letting his arm fall bonelessly on to the bed. "How long is this going to last?" He asked licking his lips and tugging at his scrubs. He was beginning to feel hotter and hotter.

"Feel awful – so hot."

"I know sweetie. It's your fever, hang in there." Janet took his temperature again – 103.

"How about a Fraiser special bed bath? Clean you up and get your fever down in one action – two for one." She turned and thanked Dawn when she handed her the bowel full of warm soapy water.

"Can you give me a hand stripping the bed?"

Between them they made light work of removing the soiled sheets.

"Let's get a fresh gown ready for after his bath. Daniel, we are going to roll you know, replace your bottom sheet okay?"

"Still feel sick." Daniel groaned.

"I've just given you something for the nausea. We'll wait a few minutes." She rubbed his bare leg as he panted to control the sickness.

"Sam and Teal'c popped to see you when you were asleep," she started in an attempt to take his mind off how awful he felt. "Their mission was a success."

Daniel opened one eye and peered at her.

"Mission? They've been off world?"

"Didn't the colonel tell you?"

"What?"

"Oh, forget I said anything," she stated biting down on her lip in frustration when she realised she may have 'let the cat out of the bag'

"Janet?"

"Oh – what the hell. Something about the General agreeing to your suggestion. I think they went to set things up for you."

"Oh, good," Daniel stated closing his eyes once more.

Janet gave Daniel a few minutes and then shook his leg gently.

"Feeling better?" She asked tenderly, smiling when Daniel nodded.

"Okay. On three."

They gently rolled him and deftly replaced the soiled sheet. Janet placed a clean sheet over him and folded it down to his waist. With Dawn's help they managed to remove the soiled gown, mindful of all the leads and medical equipment attached to his body. They eased their patient so he was lying flat, absolutely boneless and wrung out.

Janet dipped the cloth into the bowl of tepid water and proceeded to wash down Daniel's pistol hot body, noting the increase in his shivering as his brain adjusted to the change in temperature.

"C-cold," he stuttered trying to roll in a ball.

"It won't be long sweetie," Janet assured him, wiping down each of his legs in turn, finally massaging his feet. Daniel groaned in appreciation.

Soon he was squeaky clean, medicated, his temperature down to a more acceptable 101 degrees, dressed in fresh scrubs and tucked in – snoring softly.

Janet extinguished the lights once more, drew the curtain around the bed and let her patient rest.

Xxx

Daniel continued to struggle with the debilitating side effects for a couple more days but fortunately Janet had a handle on his nausea. He was plagued with severe headaches and joint pain but his fever was under control. Slowly he began to re-gain his appetite and strength once more, with this his blood work improved until finally, a week later she deemed him fit enough to go home. She gave Jack very strict instructions for Daniel to rest as much as possible, make sure he ate and drank sensibly, and avoid any stress.

Her instructions were not difficult to stick to as Daniel was extremely weak and slept most of the first week, happy and content to be home and more often than not curled up in Jacks arms, where he belonged.

Soon, though, as he began to feel better, he got bored, bored to tears. Eventually, after listening to both his and Jack's moaning, Janet relented and let him go back to work - on a part time basis for a couple of weeks to begin with. Jack was still under orders to make sure Daniel did not immerse himself in his work so much that he did not eat. With Janet's words still ringing in his ears, he knocked on Daniel's office door barely four weeks after his ordeal had begun.

"Knock, knock – Danny boy – din dins time," he teased popping his head, one arm, and one leg around the door.

Daniel looked up from the TV screen and smiled. "Good one," he chuckled when he saw Jack's big grin.

"What ya doin?" Jack asked picking up one of Daniel's many artifacts. Daniel grabbed it from his hands and carefully replaced it from whence it came – tutting at Jack at the same time. Jack stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"So," he continued, nodding towards the TV. "Is Doctor Jackson catching up with his Simpson's?" He asked, wagging his finger in the general direction of the TV.

"No. Doctor Jackson is catching up with a friend."

"Oh?"

"Watch."

Daniel picked up the remote, pointed it at the video and pressed play. Immediately Chaka's face filled the screen.

"Ah." Jack smiled.

"Watch," Daniel urged and fast-forwarded the film.

Jack watched in amazement as Chaka helped himself to one of the bars of chocolate left at the base of the camera. He slowly unwrapped it, smelt it, and carefully too a bite. He seamed to sigh in contentment and then snorted into the camera lens.

"Danyel?"

The lens lifted up and down as Chaka looked straight into it.

"Danyel? Ka nay. Za."

"What's he saying?" Jack peered at the screen.

"Loosely translated he said - Daniel, friend, I honour you," Daniel replied shutting the file he had been working on.

"Cool," Jack replied. "You always make nice friends."

Daniel chuckled.

"Hey." He exclaimed taking a close look at his soul mate. "You're all shinny. What's with the dress uniform?" He asked when he realised Jack was wearing full uniform, including his medals.

"Ah, young Skywalker," Jack replied with a gleam in his eye. "Do you not have a scheduled meeting with a certain Mrs Rothman?"

"Shit," Daniel exclaimed looking at his watch. "That's today?"

As Jack had predicted Daniel had been devastated not to be at the base memorial for his friend and colleague. Jack understood. It was not easy for a civilian – it was not fair either. Daniel did not have the training the rest had to deal with death. Military mindset dictated that 'shit happened, you dealt, you moved on."

Daniel had spiralled into depression once he was home. Daily sessions with McKenzie had helped though, and Jack had even joined him on several – realising he too had some demons to deal with – so – they dealt together. Today would be the final part of Daniel's treatment. Mary Rothman had been concerned when she had had no word from Daniel. He had been torn between contacting her – he knew he owed her an explanation but 'vocalising' had been too hard for him. He had composed endless letters – each not sent. How could he do the man justice? Finally, after many soul searching nights, talking things through with Jack, he was in a better place. Ready to face up to his loss.

"Yup," Jack replied. "Don't panic – you've got an hour to eat."

Daniel started to hurry, packing away his work.

"Well, I've gotta shower, change, and eat." He lifted one arm and smelt his armpit. "I stink," he stated shaking his head. "Hang on. I'm the one with the meeting. How come you're the shinny one?" He asked, eyes narrowed, head to one side. Jack moved to his side and placed an arm around his shoulder.

"Because – oh light of my life – Mr President has asked me to deliver something special to Robert's family – a token of thanks and appreciation," he stated pulling a White House official letter from his pocket.

Daniel stared and swallowed deeply, tears filling his eyes.

"That's. That's nice. Good." He nodded. "Mary will be pleased, such an honour."

"Least we can do," Jack answered sincerely and pulled Daniel in for a quick hug, mindful of the cameras watching there every move. He cleared his throat.

"Now. You go. Take your shower. I'll clean up in here." He turned Daniel so he was facing the door. "Meet you in the commissary in half an hour – I'll have the meat loaf." He gently manoeuvred Daniel through the door. "Now scat!" He playfully ordered.

Daniel turned and cupped his lover's cheek.

"Thank you," he muttered aching to take Jack into his arms.

"You can thank me later." Jack winked. "Full massage – Jackson special, and then an early night?"

"It's a date."

"Good – go."

As Daniel scurried down the corridor Jack turned and continued to tidy Daniel's office. He reached to turn the TV off but stopped and placed his hand over the paused screen. He smiled.

"Thank you." He rubbed his thumb over the image of Chaka. "Thank you. You saved the most important person in the universe for me." He sighed and switched the TV off at the mains, patted his pocket to make sure he still had Rothmans letter, and made his way to join his lover for lunch, a spring in his step.

Friends had been lost. Friends had been made. The Universe went on.

THE END

There you go – hope you all enjoyed it!

Thanks for all the reviews! xxx


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